Every melon has a different maturation time and will show it’s ready to be harvested differently. Each melon will ripen individually so keep a close eye on all of them. Knowing when a melon is ripe can be an art form, but you can pick up some general tips quite easily. Look for a ceasing in growth and tap the melon gently to see if you can hear a dull thud. If you are really unsure and have multiple melons you can test one by cutting it open. Separate the vine from the melon before it happens naturally as it will be rotten by the time it comes loose. One plant may produce multiple melons ripening over a period of 3 weeks. The beauty of growing your own melons is that you can harvest them later than commercial melons. This means that your melons will have longer to ripen, produce more natural sugar and therefore be sweeter than ones you buy from shops. Growing melons can be a challenge compared to other fruits but the rewards are worth the extra effort and very distinguishable from shop bought melons.
I move most of our large saved seed, melons and others, to cookie sheets or paper plates and let them thoroughly dry on a shelf for a week or two before packaging them. Since our seed harvests usually come at the hottest part of the summer, our air conditioner, augmented by a dehumidifier in the basement, pulls a lot of the summer moisture out of the air and seeds in the house.
First let’s talk about best growing practices. Now that we know a bit about where these melons come from, this knowledge should help us in deciding how and where to grow them.
